Transmission device



c. w. WEISS 1,850,189

TRANSMISSION DEVICE March 22, 1932.

avwkamtoz 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 16, 1950 March 22, 1932. c. w. WEISS 1 TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed July 16, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 22, 1932. c. w; WEISS I TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed July 16, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Qvwentoz March 22, 1932. c w w ss 1,850,189

TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed July 16, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 22, 1932. c. w. wlss TRANSMISSION DEV ICE Filed July 16, 1950 I v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 awuenboz member in which the s Patented 22, 1932 UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE can. w. WEISS, or anooxmm, mw you rm slus sr'on DEVICE Application filed July 16,-

an improved device for the transmission of power from a driving member to a driven ed at which power is transmitted shall be variable at will bepower being transmitted from a driving elevice and from one or the .other tween zero or a predetermined minimum and a 1:1 ratio as between the driving member and the driven member. The improved device is in the nature of an epicyclic train,

ment to a driven element through the medium of a rotatable ball-carrier and a ball orballs which at all times has or have rolling contact in circumferential lines with concave 5 members, at least one of which is ieldable so that the circumferential lines 0 contact of the balls with the concave members may be shifted to effect the desired change of s eed without sliding as between the ball or alls and said members. 'One of such concave members serves as a reaction device, being held from rotation in at least one direction, and theother of such concave members or the ball carrier is rotated under the influence of driving power which is applied to the dcpower is transmitted to the driven part. I The invention will be more fully explained with reference to the accompan ing drawings in which several practical em odiments are illustrated, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal sectional elevation of one of such embodiments of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the same in transverse sectional elevation, the plane of section being indicated by the broken line 2-2 of Figure 1.. 1

Figures 3 and 4 are detail views showing may occupy at different speeds.--

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing a slightly difl'erent construction of one of the concave members.

Figures 6 and 7 are detail views illustrating still another form of one of the concave members.

Figure 8 is a view, partly in elevation and 1980. Serial Io. 468,818.

partly in longitudinal section, illustrating still another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 9 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section, showing a structure in which two single transmission devices, such as that shown in Figure 1, are compounded and in which a torque control means is combinedv with the compound transmission mechanism.

Figure 10 is a' view'in end elevation as seen from the right hand in Figure 9, the outer housingbeing removed.

Figure 11. is a detail view of a modified form of ball carrier.

Figure 12 isa detail sectional view of a modified form of the torque control device shown in Figure 9. I a

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the part through which power is supplied is shownas a shaft shafts. Secured to the shaft a, so as to rotate therewith, is a concave annular member 0 which is capable of yielding, in this instance, in an axial direction for a purpose to be explained. In this embodiment of the invention the concave member 0 is formed as a plate which, though heavy enough for the transmissionof power, nevertheless itself has some degree of resilience. It is shown as supported by and secured to a heavier rigid disc or'circular plate 0 which is keyed on the shaft a, as indicated at c A ball carrier d, which may be formed in two'partsd and d united by screw bolts d, is keyed on the shaft 6, as indicated at'd so that the shaft shall rotate with the ball carrier. A ball or balls e aresupported by the ball carrier for rolling contact with the concave memberc on one side and with a similar concave member f on the other side. It will be observed that through this construction, the balls have under all conditions rolling contact with the concave members substantially on circumferential lines (of maximum diameter) and thatthere is therefore no sliding contact to develop friction, heat and wear. Since the contact points of the balls with the surfaces are substantially on diametrically opposed points on the balls, there is no tendency to cause the balls to slip or be forced over the surfaces in the direction of the axes of rotation thereof. It will'be the members 0 and f at the points c" and f",

understood, of course, that the points of contact need not be exactly diametrically opposed but may vary within seven degrees (the friction an le) and therefore, as long as the points 0% contact of the balls are diametrlcally opposed, or are within the friction angle from diametrical positions, there will be no tend ency for sliding friction. The concave memher 7 is mounted with a running fit on the shaft b and, serving as a reaction member, 1s held from rotation in atleast one direction by any suitable means, such as a ball clutchor one-way brake, as indicated at I, ofordinary construction, which will permit rotation of the member fin one direction, if so, desired, but will prevent rotation thereof in the opposite direction, the ball clutch bein carried by the housingg which'is fixed. A all bearlng may be provided, as at F, to support the member 7 for rotation. It will be observed that the arc of curvature of each of the concave members 0 and f is not struck upon a single center and that the curve center of the member 0 is above the center of the ball while the curve center ofthe member f is below the center of the ball. It will also be observed that the radii of curvature of each member 0 and f are slightly greater than the radius of curvature of the ball. In the relative posivtions of the parts shown in Figure 1 each ball is assumed to have operative contact with the line joining these points standing at an angle ofabout 15 with the plane in which the centers of the balls lie. With the parts proportioned about as shown this relat on gives the lowest practicable speed ratio between the driving part and the driven part.- If'the two concavemembers' c and f should be separated further there will be no driving contact of these members with the ballsand the member a will run free without transmitting movementto the driven shaft b. If, however, thegmembers c and f are moved closer together the members or at leastthe member a will yield slightly so that thelme 'oining these two points through the ball will be shifted further from the vertical plane to a position of about 45, as shown iflFlgltle 3, or if the members a and f are pressed st1llmore closely together, the line of contact may be made to approach still more closely to the horizontal plane, as shown in Flgure 4. If the lowest practicablespeed rat1o 1s attained when the parts arein the positlons represented in Figure 1, it willbe seen that as the members a and f are pressed moreand more closely together, asshown-in Figures 3-and 4,

the speed ratio ofthe driving shaft to the with the axis of the shafts a and b the ball carrier will have its highest speed of rotation and the speed ratio between the shafts a and b will decrease. As each ball rolls about its own axis, in contact on one side with the rotating member 0 and on the other side withthe stationar member f, the ballcarrier will rotate a out its own axis. speed ratio of the driving member and the ball carrier will be determined within these limits b the ratio between the diameter The c"c o the circular path of contact of the balls 6 with the member a and the diameter g f" of the circular path of contact of the alls e with themember f, the lines of contact of the balls themselves being substantially circumferential, that .is, of maximumdiameter. If the parts are proportioned and related as shown in Figure 1 these diameters would be in about the ratio of 1:4 and thespeed of the driving shaft (member 0) would be to the speed of the driven shaftj(carrier d) as 5: 1. If the parts are related as shown in Figure 4, in which the diameters c"-c* and f"f" are nearly equal, theratio of the speed of the driving shaft would be to the speed of the driven shaft a little more than 2: 1. In I the extreme position, with the axis-of rotation of each ball with the shaft axis, the ratio would be 2:1. As a convenient means of efi'ecti'ngrelative dis lacement of the members c and f, the sha a, as shown in Fi re 1, may be engaged through a split rin a a handled sleeve nut h which has at rea ed engagement, as at/h witha hub 9 ,of the housing g. I a r 1 In the construction of the ball carrier shown in Figure 2 the balls 0 rotate in direct contact with :the arms of the part d To prevent such frictional contactthe ball carrier may be formed as shown in Figure 13 in'w ich the part (1 of the ball carrieris formed with spindles d? on which are mounted concaved rollers d with which the balls e have rolling contact. v I I The construction shown in Figure '5 is in all respects the same as that shown in'Figure 1, except as to the formation of the concave member a. In the construction shown in Figure 5 the concave member 0 is made up of a series of telescoping sleeves 0, a, '0", c" and c which are shaped'to form a; concave member might be formed of a band '0 coiled upon itself and supported by a rigid disc In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 5, 'four. balls equally distributed are shown. It will'beunderstood, however, that any suitable number of ballsmight be provided and that although it is desirable to employ a plurality of balls it is at least theoretically possible to express the invention in d shaft a, as does the shaft-f to which it is a structure which includes but one ball.

In the structure shown in Figure 8 the essential characteristic of the invention is embodied in a construction which differs somewhat in detail from the constructionsshown in Figures 1 and 5, and these details will now be described. i

In this construction the driving shaft (1 has the ball carrier (1 keyed to it, as at d, the ball carrier being formed and supporting the balls e substantially as already described. The relatively yieldable concave mem ers c and f are shaped substantially as already described and for low speed transmission.

make contact with the balls at the points indicated at c" and f"..- The concave member 0 in this instance is held between the two parts 0 and 0 of ashell to be referred to again. The member) is keyed, as at f, to an intermediate shaft 7 in alignment'wi th the driving shaft a. The part 0 of the shell 0, 0 is keyed, as at 0 on a sleeve 0 which has a running fit onthe shafti and is formed at its end, as ate, with bevel gear teeth. A bevel gear f is keyed on the. shaft f, as at f, and the two bevel gears 0 and f mesh with intermediate pinions ofwhich one is shown;at 6 such pinions being carried by spindles 6 supported by a shell 6 which is keyed, as at 6 on the driven shaft 5. A two-part housing 9 9 base running fit at 9 on the driving shaft or and has a bearing, as at g, on the hub of the shell 0 which also has a runningfit on the driving. shaft a. The housing member 9 also has-a bearing as at g on the driven shaft b A ball clutch at 0 carriedby a web 0 secured to the housing member 9 servesas a reaction deviceto prevent rotation of the shell 0 e and the concave member 0 in one direction. -A,' control lever 71. is so related to the other parts of the device as to effect the movement of the concave members 0 andf tovvard and from each other. In the construction shown the lever 72 is pivoted, as at h, in the housing 9 and carries .the ratio of the speed of the shaft i at h afork which engages a sleeve h. The

latter bears against the ball bearing 9 and through the contact of the latter at h with the inner housing member 0 may move the concave member 0 so as to shift its line of contact with the balls 6 as already described with reference to Figure 1. The movement of the part 0 carries with it the part a, clearance being left between the hub of the latter and the shoulder of the sleeve 0 sufficlent to permit such movement.

With the concave members and balls in the relative positions shown in Figure 8g the balls being in contact with the concave members at the points c and f", the balls rotate on an axis at right angles to a line joining the points a and f". The ball carrier rotates with the shaft (1 and the concave memb er' f also rotates in 'the same direction as the driving f and 0 in the position shown in Figure 8,

the torque transmitted to the member f is greater than that transmitted to the member 0 and thus shaft f, andbevel gear f receive more power than the sleeve 0 which is secured to the member 0 As the sleeve shaft 0 and its bevel. gear 0 are then held from rotation in the opposite direction by the reaction device 0 the pinions b engaged by the bevel gear are caused to roll'on the bevel gear 0 and therefore to cause rotation of the shell 6 and the driven shaft b" in the same direction as the driving shaft a at their slowest speed. The ratio of rotation of the shaft 6 to the speed of rotation of the shaft f equals the speed of rotation of the shaft i divided by 2, and to the speed of the driving shaft a is determined, as

before, by the ratio of diameters of the paths of cont-act of the concave members and the balls, subject to the condition that in this case the ball .carrier is rotated with the driving shaft. Under these conditions, that is, with the balls in the position'shown in Figure 10, the driven'part?) will be driven at its lowest practicable speed. A further separation of the members 0 and f Will cause the device to idle. On the other hand, the pressing together of the members 0 and f to the maximum limit, causing them to be in contact with theballs over an increased are, will cause the ball carrier and the members 0 and f? to rotate together, the balls then not rotating on their own axes, and, through the described connections, the shaft f" to rotate at the same speed and in the same direction as the shaft a and the shaft 6 to rotate at a 1 1 speed ratio with and in the same direct-ion as the shaft Zz. In this condition each member 7 and 0 receives an equal amount of torque and thus turn together, carrying the of the speed I bevel gears f" and 0 with them to drive directly'through the ins b. This action is similar to the draft orce applied to a device by a whiflle tree when the forces at equal distanceis from the pivot point of the tree are equa u q In the construction shown in Figures 9 and 10 two single transmission devices, each for convenience being shown as the same in construction as that shown in Figure 1, and corresponding parts being identified by the same reference characters, are compounded in one structure and arecombined with a torque responsive control, which acts to press the members a and f ofeach transmission more-or less close'together and therefore to shift the points of contact of the members a and f with the balls e, as-previously described. In this construction the inner hous-' ing orshell g is held from rotation in one ball clutch or one direction brake, is indicated at g, and disc 0", which su ports, the yieldable concave member -c, is sp ined to the shell g, as at 0,so that they shall be held from rotation in one directiom but shall be free to move in an axial direction to shift the oints of contact of the concave members with the balls, it being understood that the concave member f is carried by the disc 0 which supports in a yielding mannor the concave member 0 of the second transmission device and that the disc 0 has a running fit on the extension a" of the driving shaft a, to which extension the ball carrier 11* is keyed, as at d. The,ball carrier (1" of the second transmission device .is keye'd at I d" to the driven shaft 1)".

The outer part of the two-part shell or housing g", g", has 'a bearing at g" on the driven shaftb" and a bearingv at 9 driving shaft,a. K

\Toefiect torque control of the transmission and it will be understood that such torque control might be applied to asingle transmission device by itself, as well as to one ofthe. two-com ounded transmission devices) thedrivin s aft (1 hasa portion a" formed on the with a big pitch thread and on such portion is mounted an internally threaded; sleeve (1, on which the disc 0'' has a bearing ata". The sleeve a" is provided with a flange a which carries spindles a on whi'ch are pivoted centrifugal weights a". The l ter are formed with gear segments a whlch'mesh with a'gear a formed on -or secured to the shafta. A coiled spring'a engaged with the shaft a, as at a, bears against a pin a of a flan e a", tending to throwthe centrifugal weig ts a". toward the shaft axis. Under the influence of resistance to rotation ofthe driven shaft 6", the spring a throws the centrifugal weights a" toward the shaft axis,

- but as the speed increases, as by reason of. decreased resistance or the application of increased driving: power, the centrifugal weights move away from the shaft axis and thereb cause the sleeve a to move axially to-or toward a 1:1 ratio with the driving eshaft. It will thus be seen that the drive takes place through the gear sectors, weights,

etc., and that the inputspeed to the device remains constant, while the torque delivered varies to accommodate changes in load. 'If the load increases, the speed of the driven member decreases and its'tor ue increases to meet the changed load con itions without changing the speed of the driving'member.

In the modification of the torque,control device shown in Figure 12 the driving shaft a receives with a running fit the reduced end of an intermediatevshaft (1 which is provided with a high pitch thread a" engaged by the internally threaded sleeve a", on which thecdisc a, which carries the concave member c, has a bearin at a, relative rotation of the intermediate s aft a" and the sleeve a"' ,efiecting movementof the concave member 0 toward or away from the balls 6. The sleeve a is provided with a flange a"? which carries spindles a on which are pivoted the centrifugal weights, a portion of one of which is shown at a. The weights are formed as before with gear segments, as at a, which mesh with a ear a formed on orsecured to the interme iate shafta. The spindles a also engage a flange aof the drivin the driving shaft a isthere ore applied to the studs or spindles a andthence to the centrifugal weights from which power is sup plied throu h the gear a" and'the intershaft a. Power su plied through mediate shaft 0 to the ball carrier d whiclfr is keyed to the intermediate shaft, as at d; Resistance to rotation of the intermediate shaft through the engagement of the centrifu i gal weights therewith compels the centrifugal weights to approach nearer to the axis of the driving shaft and, through the threaded engagement of the intermediate shaft a and the sleeve a effects adjust ment of the transmission device for lower speed. Obviously the foregoing threaded en-' gagement, findsits" equivalent in suitably mounted cams orother mechanism for effect} mg such adjustment. v With this construction the speed of the driven shaft may vary while the speed of the driving shaft remains con-- stant,

It will "exp ession in stillother embodiments than 188- those shown and described and in various modifications of details of constructionmd arrangement made to suit different conditions of use and that the mvention,-therefore, is

0 be understood that the primary mvention disclosed in this case mightfind 'shown and described herein exce] It as pointed,

out in the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a transmission device the combination of. a driving shaft, adriven shaft, a ball carrier keyed to one of the shafts, a ball, two coaxial concave members with which the ball may have rolling contact at opposite sides.

one of said members being deformable to shift the line of contact with the ball, one of said.

i said members fromwqtation. a housing having an interiorl threaded hub, and an exteriorly threade sleeve to engage the threaded huband operatively connected with-the driving shaft to move one of said members towardthe other.

. 3. In a power transmission device, the combination of a driving part, a driven part, a ball carrier and ball, two members with which the ball, may have rolling contact at opposite sides. means to hold one of said members from rotation, means to-connect the other of said members operatively with one of the first mentioned-parts, means to connect the ball carrier operatively with the" other ofsaid parts, one of said members being yieldable to.

shift the line of contact with the" ball, a torque responsive device, and means'actuated by said torque responsive device tomove one I of said members toward the other.

4. In a power transmission device the com- .bination of a driving shaft, a ball carrier secured thereto to rotate therewith, a ball, two

relatively. deformable members with which theball may have rolling contact at opposite sides, means to hold one of said members, from rotation, and *a secondshaft to-which'the other of said members is secured.

5. In a power transmission device the combination of a driving part, a driven part. a ball carrier and ball, two mem rs with which the ball may have rolling c tact at opposite sides, means to hold one of said members from rotation, means to connect the other of saidanembers operatively with one of the first mentioned parts. means to connect the. ball carrier operatively with the other of said parts, one of said members be ing yieldableto shift the line of contact with the ball, centrifugal devices mounted withdriving part torotate therewith, and means actuated by said centrifugal devices the ' other.

to move one of said members toward the 6. In a power transmission device the combination of a driving part, a driven part, a

ball carrier and ball, two members with which the balls may have rolling contact at opposaid members operativelygwithonexof the ball carrier operatively with the other of said parts, one of said members being yieldable to shift the line of contact with the ball,

site sides, means to. hold one of said members- 9 from rotation, means to connect the other of.

'- centrifugal devices mounted with the 'driving part to rotate therewith, said driving part being screw threaded, an internally threaded sleeve mounted on the threaded portion of the driving part and supporting said centrifugal bodies, said threaded sleeve bein in operative relation with one of said mem rs:

to press the same toward the other.

7. In a power transmission device the combination of a driving'part, a driven part, a ball carrier and ball, two concave members with which the ball may have rolling contact c at opposite sides, means tohold oneof-said members from rotation, means -to connect the other of'said members operatively with one of the first mentionedparts, means to connect the ball carrier operatively' with the other of said parts, one of said members bethe ball, centrifugal devices mounted with the driving part to rotatetherewith, said;

driving part being screw threaded, and an internally threaded sleeve mounted on the threaded portion of the driving part and sup porting said centrifugal bodies, said thread.- ed sleeve beingin operative relation with one of said members to press the same toward the other.

8. In a powertransmission device the combination of a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a'ball carrier secured to the drivin shaft to rotate therewith and a ball carrie thereby,

a second ball carrier secured to the driven shaft to rotate therewith and the ball carried thereby, two relatively yieldable I concave members with which the ball of the first ball 1 carrier may have rolling-contact at opposite sides, two relatively yieldable concave mem-' berswith which the ball of the second carrier may have rolling contact at opposite sides,

"means to'press one of each pair of members toward the other to shift the\line of contact with the corresponding ball,means to hold one of the first pair of members from rotation, and-meansto hold one of the second pair of members from rotation, the other member of the first pair of concave members being) operatively connected with the other mem members shall rotate to ther.

ing yieldableto shift the lineof contact, with er of. the second pair so that said two 9. In apower transmlssion device the com bination of a driving shaft, a driven shaft,

first mentioned parts, means to connect the a ball carrierisecixred to one of the shafts,

.8. ball, two relatively deformable members bers axially.

with which the'ball may have rolling contact at opposite sides, means to .hold one of said members from rotation, means to, secure the othetofsaid members to the other of the shafts, and means to moveone' of said mem:

clfipation signed thi 11th day of 1930; r 'GARL w. WEISS.

. Jul 135.5? 

